How to Pray for One Who Is Unable to Bow or Prostrate
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Question:
The questioner (A. A. D.) from Jazan, Abha District, says: Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah preserve him), peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. After that:
She says: My father is an elderly man who cannot stand for long in prayer, nor does he have the strength to bow or prostrate; this is because he suffers from severe pain in his joints. Therefore, he only prays while sitting on a chair, and when he tries to bow or prostrate, his limbs do not reach the ground. He performs all prayers at home. We should know that when we advise him to pray in the mosque, he responds by saying: “Allah knows my weakness and frailty, O my children.” The question remains, Your Eminence: Is the father excused in praying at home? And is the prayer valid if the limbs do not reach the ground? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, if he is unable, his prayer is valid. He prays in the air; he bows in the air and prostrates in the air. He prays while sitting. He knows his own condition best. Allah says: [Al-Taghabun: 16]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to ‘Imran ibn Husayn when he was ill: Sunan Abi Dawud 952Sahih (Al-Albani) So the believer prays according to his condition. And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Al-Taghabun: 16] [Al-Baqarah: 286]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 7288 So if he is unable to prostrate on the ground or to bow, he does what he is able to do: he bows as much as he can and prostrates as much as he can, and his prostration should be lower than his bowing. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, Your Eminence.
The questioner (A. A. D.) from Jazan, Abha District, says: Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah preserve him), peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. After that:
She says: My father is an elderly man who cannot stand for long in prayer, nor does he have the strength to bow or prostrate; this is because he suffers from severe pain in his joints. Therefore, he only prays while sitting on a chair, and when he tries to bow or prostrate, his limbs do not reach the ground. He performs all prayers at home. We should know that when we advise him to pray in the mosque, he responds by saying: “Allah knows my weakness and frailty, O my children.” The question remains, Your Eminence: Is the father excused in praying at home? And is the prayer valid if the limbs do not reach the ground? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, if he is unable, his prayer is valid. He prays in the air; he bows in the air and prostrates in the air. He prays while sitting. He knows his own condition best. Allah says:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْoffer prayer in standing condition; if you are unable to do so, then in sitting condition: if you are then at your side
صل قائمًا، فإن لم تستطع فقاعدًا، فإن لم تستطع فعلى جنب، فإن لم تستطع فمستلقيًاSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاAnd if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can.
إذا أمرتكم بأمر فأتوا منه ما استطعتمThe presenter: May Allah reward you, Your Eminence.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.